Robotic surgery is the next generation of minimally invasive operations to treat cervical and uterine cancers. Minimally invasive surgeries mean less scarring, less trauma to the body, less time under anesthesia (which reduces the risk of fatality or serious complication), and faster recovery.

“The technology is amazing and continues to improve,” Gardner says.

Patients with endometrial or uterine cancer who had minimally invasive robotic-assisted hysterectomies enjoyed quicker surgeries and shorter hospital stays than those who underwent similar laparoscopic surgical procedures, according to a study by the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute published in February.

Get a Pap test. It can detect infections and abnormal cells that can morph into cervical cancer. In many cases, the cells can be removed before cancer develops and, if cervical cancer is caught in its early stages, it’s very curable.

The number of deaths from cervical cancer has dropped significantly in the U.S. in recent years because more women are getting regular Pap tests, Gardner says.

Pay attention to bloating.If you have abdominal distensionor changes in bowel or bladder function for several weeks, see your doctor. They could be signs of ovarian cancer. It used to be a silent killer, but survival rates are increasing — all the more reason to seek help early, she says.

Watch for abnormal bleeding. If you see spots, streaks or have a flow between periods or after menopause, consult your doctor. The blood doesn’t have to be red; even brown smears when you wipe are reason enough to seek medical advice, Gardner says.